Karinvale

Karinvale

Ichikawa, Chiba 2002

Total Area: 1,200m2, New Construction, Wood Frame, 2 Stories, Multiple
Dwelling Complex
This collective housing complex contains 20 courthouse-type units.
All residents first enter into a central courtyard garden, and then move through the garden space to the entry of their own unit. The courtyard is surrounded by many different types of units, from one-room apartments to maisonettes to multi-bedroom family units.
These are units are overlapped in an intricate composition, creating a
dynamic variety of forms and spaces.
"Karinvale" is a newly created word which unites the Japanese
word for the Chinese quince (Karin) and the English word for valley (vale),
and a Chinese quince tree is featured at the center of the garden in a
valley of building forms.